MICHAEL MOORE - MOORE SUBPOENAED BY U.S. GOVERNMENT OVER CUBA TRIP

Filmmaker MICHAEL MOORE has been served with a subpoena by the U.S. government over his controversial trip to Cuba for his latest documentary Sicko. Moore brought men and women who had assisted in the clean-up of lower Manhattan following the September 11th (01) terrorist attacks to the Communist nation to receive free medical treatment for the ailments they have developed over the past five years for which they have not received adequate medical care in the U.S. Cuba is under a trade embargo from the U.S. and a majority of Americans are not allowed to visit the island. In May (07), the U.S. Treasury Department's Office Of Foreign Assets Control started an investigation into Moore's Cuba trip and wrote to him, asking him for information about the visit. Speaking to Jay Leno on Thursday's (02Aug07) Tonight Show, Moore says he has been ordered to court through his lawyer David Boies. He says, "I haven't even told my own family this yet. I was just informed when I was back there with Jay that the (George W.) Bush administration has now issued a subpoena for me, going after me for helping these 9/11 rescue workers." Leno interjects, "No, no, for going to Cuba, not for helping them." Moore continues, "I didn't go there like Cameron Diaz, to get a tan. I was there to help them, and now I'm going to face this further harassment from the Bush people. Aren't they busy with something else." Moore maintains he is exempt from the travel ban because he visited Cuba as a journalist; "A journalist can go, and this is a work of journalism. And frankly, the larger point is being missed here. The point is that first of all, can we all agree we should take care of our 9/11 rescue workers?"